Late yesterday, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines released a notice, reminding the public of the proper respect to be given whenever the national anthem is played. The letter warns anyone who is seen violating Republic Act No. 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, of the repercussions that could be met by doing so.
According to the NHCP, the notice was posted in light of recent complaints they've been receiving over a "video uploaded on a social media platform showing a man dancing while the National Anthem was being played."
Though it doesn't mention Filipino-American vlogger Bretman Rock, the reports supposedly point to a short clip of him "twerking" to Lupang Hinirang, which was originally posted three months ago on his Instagram Stories.
Having since been deleted, the video only resurfaced on social media at the tail end of last year, 2019. As pointed out by several Twitter users, Bretman had immediately apologized for his actions moments after posting the video.
He also sent a private message to the same user who had called him out above, admitting that what he did was "wrong and disrespectful," and claiming full responsibility for his actions.
As per NHCP's reminder, refusal to respect the National Anthem could lead to a penalty of P5000 to P20,000, or imprisonment of not more than one year.
They reiterate that the song should never "be played or sung for mere recreation, amusement, or entertainment purposes except during local and international competitions where the Philippines is a host or is a representative.
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